The rain had stopped falling with the wet ground as proof that it did few minutes ago and few flashes of lightning could still be seen parading in the grey clouds.
Glow-frogs (once aliens to this world; so, I heard) were already up and about; floating around in the air in their usual small swarm.
They tend to come out anytime rainfalls and the air feels cool.
I walked past the miserable-looking bummers gathering around a rusting cylindrical metal container holding fire to warm themselves, it was quite tempting to join them for few minutes at least but I had to get home.
Strolled through the narrow streets and narrower back alleys for at least an hour before I reached my apartment building; a very old 6 stories building, with long wiring lines spanning from one wing of the building to another; many even crossed over to other buildings around it.
The building like many that still stood is a complete mess, ridden with bullet holes, graffiti of different insulting sketches of police, street slangs, Black-bird gang signs and huge cracks in walls covered with nylon bags.
The bottom half of the building is almost completely infested with moss, fern and other weird crawling plants that grew anywhere they fucking want.
A lot of tattered clothes and other wears were dried out on lines and verandas in front of every door of the building and there was no shortage of homeless bums and punks loitering around everywhere like cockroaches.
With so many people came an awful of trash, nose-destroying odour and the most annoying of all – Noise. One could barely hear himself think with loud chatting, indoor quarrelling, outdoor quarrelling, people yelling the loudest for 'noisemaker' to keep it down and the different sounds of music; all amped out with speakers.
This shit extended to all the bloody building around the area to.
I annoyingly looked at the building and knew I was gang-banged before coming to this life.
I casted the thoughts out of my mind and walked up the stairs then the passage, with one of two bums or punks in the way, everywhere was infested with roaches, beetles, flies and even shit.
The building's thin walls and many apartments' lanky door didn't help with the noise, as I passed by, I could literally hear what some folks were doing inside - some were yelling, some were beating the hell out of someone, some wailing and crying in pain, and others were noise from radios, speakers and other stuffs.
I finally stop in front of a door and I could hear the voice of a man and a woman yelling at each other at the other side of the door, I brought out my key from my pocket and opened the door – This is my home.
A woman with roughly tied-up hair like a cluster of diseased rat fur, heavy dark sack rested under her eyes tied to a face drowned in stress, depression, bitterness and worry.
She wore an old patched up over-sized male clothes and was in a very serious verbal argument with a dark-skinned man.
The man had long unkempt ebony hair and lots of tiny scars all over his face, wearing patched up leather armour-like jacket and jeans.
He reeked so much of alcohol that someone 10 feet away could still smell it without any effort, the two of them were yelling their brain out at the right corner of the room; from the view of the door.
I just ignored my parents as they screamed at each other like always, heading to the door straight down from apartment entrance.
For some fucked up reason, I got noticed as usual by my father; his eyes darted to me with an insane reflex for a very drunk person.
"Oi, Shitsu… (Belch)Shitsubo, where have you been?!" The man called out in a vexing drunken tone, as I was walking past them.
I didn't reply, instead picked up my pace quickly to the bedroom door, just few feet in front of me. I took me less than 2 seconds to cover the distance… This apartment is that small.
I hurriedly cracked open the door and locked it behind me as soon as I entered but the man…my father followed me; yelling and banging the door in anger.
"I… I knew, it was you. Y…You overgrown dog semen, you took money from my stash and spent 'em all. You fucking mis…mistake, you already ruined my life but I guess that's not enough for you, hmm? You had to ruin my night too!!" He yells at me from behind the door, then punched the wall twice.
The wall of vibrated a bit violently as he punched, then he called out to me again "Come the hell out of there and gimme back my fucking money!!!"
"Motherfucker, why the fuck aren't you ans…." He was saying before being cut off by my mother.
"Leave him out of it, your drunken wreck. Don't you fucking blame him for losing your fucking money! You're in here making noise about someone steal your money when I am dead-sure you spent 'em all on booze, cards and prostitutes. We have a fucking debt on our heads… Look at you, b…" my mother raged on, but before she could really call him out on all his bullshit, the sound of a loud slap from the other side of the door literally shut her up.
Even a hakujo would realise my father just loaded my mother's face with one heavy slap.
I wasn't going out there, I stood no chance against that man and even though I felt vexed at what he just did; it doesn't mean anything because we all needed him more than he needs us… without him, we will be more screwed, than we are.
"Bitch, who are you calling – a drunk? So, you and that bastard of yours finally ganging up on me like that your fucking father did…(Cough) but where's the fucker now? That's right – He's in the fucking ground You better watch your mouth before I put you and your son in the same fucking ground!!" He roared at the top of his lungs with pure untamed rage but surprisingly I did not hear him putting his hands on her again.
Normally, he starts with a slap, then turns her into a beating drum the next second but it felt like he wasn't going to do that today, and if he doesn't plan on doing that, it only means, he's going to…
"Since, you and bastard are very good at stealing, lying and scheming, you can all fucking handle yourselves. I'm out of this bitch… Lemme see how you people will fucking eat!" He yelled wildly.
Then I heard him storming off; as he opened the front door and slamming it, uttering cusses aloud, I immediately waked out of the room to check on my mother.
She just lay on the damp ground with side of her belly and her hands covering the right side of her face, I went over to help her sit up.
She didn't even seem to have the strength to even pull herself up properly and barely conscious.
The slap my father gave her wasn't even with his full strength; he never beats her with all his strength. She could die with one strike if he wanted to and that's what makes this fucked up… For her
She turns into a rag doll every time he lays his hand on her but she doesn't STOP picking a fight with him and he doesn't beat her out of pure anger or annoyance.
He doesn't want to kill her; he wants her to feel pain…. As much pain as he can give her.
After few minutes, with me just staying by her side, she finally spoke till closing her eyes and putting both her hand on her right cheek; which had swollen a bit.
"My beautiful boy, your father has left, hasn't he?" She asks with pain in her voice.
"Yes… Yes, he has… Again" I replied, releasing the tension in my shoulders when I realise the man won't be coming back but instantly realized what him bailing (again) meant.
My mom was rolling in tears; this isn't the first time my father has put his hands on her and won't be the last; she was somewhat used to it from what I could tell.
She just sat in a foetus posture; placing her hand on her cheek as she wallowed silently in misery and worry.
"How…How are we…" She weakly stumbled on her words, until one tear slowly rolling down her cheeks.
I embrace her softly and calmly said "Don't worry, I will take it from here… like always"
"How…(Sobbing) How can you? You (Sobbing)… You always get beaten up all the time, I don't want to go through that…" she spoke in utter grief, as she tightens her hug on me.
"Don't worry about it" I comforted her, not making any efforts to deny what she said, because it is the truth or at least half of what she said is the truth… the other half isn't.
The real truth is - I will definitely get beaten up by those bloodhounds sooner or later and the only thing she will do is to just stand there; not able to help, walk away or do single goddamn thing.
If she TRULY didn't want to go through all that, she wouldn't just stand there in fear, sorrow and guilt.
I peeled her off my body as she sobbed and complain, then tried looking at her in the eyes but her head was down, so were her eyes; both with filled with sadness and sorrow.
"Mom, look at me… Look at me" I called out to her a bit firm but tried to remain as gentle and calm as I needed to be, she raised up her head, sensing the slight seriousness in my voice and looked at my straight in the eyes.
"Don't worry, I will handle it" I said once again to reassure her, looking at her dead-straight in her eyes.
I turned her face to see her right cheek clearer and there on her right cheek was a nasty swell in the shape of a palm with some bruises.
The swollen cheek made it look she was storing up air in her mouth, I gently caress the outer area of the swelling and called out my sibling names from the room I hid myself in, when my father wanted to rip my head up for no reason.
"Ayaka… Eiji, come out here!"
The room door slowly opened and two kids wearing patched-up jeans and torn-up singlets emerged from the dark cover of the room.
Earlier, when I entered the room to hide myself from my father, I noticed them as soon as I zoomed in, sitting in a dark and gloomy corner of the room, grabbing their sides of their head, trying to block out the yelling and raging of our parents.
Their face covered with the wild fear, discomfort and bitterness; they were probably here when all hell broke loose and folded themselves in a corner to avoid be caught in the middle of that dumpster fire of a marriage.
Ayaka and Eiji – my youngest siblings; 14 years of age and identical twins (girl and boy respectively), possessing more of our mother than our father.
They had our mother's small nose, oval-shaped face and smaller eye compared to mine, they even have a natural lighter skin tone than me and Genji, but it's hard to spot that, as we are all roughed up and dirty looking mongrels of Sumiyoshi.
"Do we have water?" I questioned, still focusing my eyes on the swell on my mother's face.
"No" Eiji responded, almost instantly.
"Eiji, go to Fuyuko… ask her for some water to spare" I instructed my brother, he seemed a bit hesitant but didn't voice anything, then left carrying a pail resting in a corner of this room with him.
"Ayaka, where's Genji?" I had to ask my sister; he should have been home.
Even if he's lucky to not be at home when our parents torn through each other, but it's safer in here than out there, especially at this time.
"I don't know…" My sister answered me, with a face that said she couldn't even guess where he might be.
I returned my attention to the face of my mother, while waiting for Eiji to bring some water.
*Eiji
"tck… Why can't Ayaka be the one going around begging?" I clicked my tongue and says underneath my breathe as I knocked on the apartment door right before ours.
"GO AWAY!" A voice warned with a badly-formed tone of aggression, from behind the door.
'Even a 3-years-old would sound more intimidating' I thought, then gave my response.
"It's Eiji" I said, loud enough for her to hear from the other side.
Bolts and keeps could be heard turn, then the door itself opened revealing a young woman; a few years older than Oniisan (Shitsubo), holding a hammer while wearing singlet and a white short.
'What does she think she could do with a freaking hammer around here?' I couldn't help but sigh aloud; while thinking why the hell she took up space in this neighbourhood.
"Ohh… Eiji-kun, S…Sorry, I thought it was some punk pretending to be you" She declares trying to hide the hammer, and her panic with a smile.
"Then why the hell did you open up (sigh) and what do you think you would do with a fucking hammer around here?" I asked, still wondering why I hadn't come back home one day and to hear some punks broke in; stole shit, raped her and possibly killed her.
The worst thing is she barely even talks to anyone on this block besides us; which is not my choice, because she helps my mom out and I have to show her back - 'kindness' (according to my mother) but we aren't freaking safe ourselves, that's why we roll well with the others on this block.
All of us except Oniisan; he doesn't roll with anyone apart from his 'friend' – Daigo, but the rest of us (including mom) know you don't survive here alone, tuck inside your crib all day.
"If I were taller…bigger and came here to really harm you, I would have had my way and that hammer wouldn't do a damn thing to stop me…" I had to tell her matter-of-factly; she looked pitiful even with the way she held the hammer.
I continued "Just do yourself a favour- get yourself some iron. you got the coins for a small piece… Don't die stupidly."
"Some iron?" She asked with so annoyingly innocently.
"A gun…a freaking pistol" I couldn't help but blunt out with a bit of annoyance and frustration.
I mean, I came here to beg from someone that doesn't know her left from her freaking right.
She just stared blankly like a fucking moth, before muttering something like 'Ok… I've heard…. Thanks'.
"W…What brings here, I know you didn't just come here to lecture me." She asked trying to mask whatever the hell she was feeling with a smile.
"We need some water" I asked, averting her gaze while stretching out my hand with the pail in it.
She hesitated before asking with concern "Is everything ok? I heard yelling and…"
I cut her saying "Everything is freaking great, luckily the bastard left. Now, do you have some water or not", I irritably asked; I don't know why she wants to getting all mushy-feeling about everything.
I'm not goin' lie I was freaking scared though, immediately I heard the old man shouting at Oniisan, I knew he would likely get the shit beaten out of him.
Father hated him, more than he did any of us.
"Ok, I will some water for you" Fuyuko replied, not attempting to press me for more answers or something.
She closed the door, without taking the pail from my hand and I just stood there wondering where she's put the water in, without any intention of calling her back.
After some minutes, she opened the door again with a jug of water and a bottle of herbs on each hand.
"Here's some water, and… This is some pain-relief herb… in… in case you need it" she said sleepily as handed me the jug of water and the herb.
I didn't know why I bother bringing the freaking pail, Fuyuko does stuffs like this all the time; she is too good… too soft.
She still screams tush-Conquest District gal; possibly even Silver-District even after months of staying her, but no matter how weird it seems, no one looks inside a fucking gift horse's mouth.
I don't know what the hell happened to her, to force her to live in this shit-hole in Sumiyoshi, she's miles away from her natural habitat. It had to some really scarring shit.
Well, she can continue being all naïve and nice to us, it's a freaking boon.
I quietly collected it and walk straight to our apartment room.
Immediately I stepped inside the room, Oniisan asked with his usual coldness while his back faced me "Did you thank her?"
'Shit, I always forget', I couldn't help but cussed in my mind and had no way of respond to that.
I could just lie, but he might stand up right away and go ask her; he does shit like that sometimes.
As my mind raced, I forgot that reality isn't and Onnisan took my silence as a 'no'.
"I have told you to always say a fucking 'thank you', anytime you take things from 'her'!" Oniisan tone was low but anyone can literally feel the anger in it.
He's as fucking scary as father, only that he doesn't have to be drunk or too loud.
"Get your ass, back there!" He commanded me.
Ayaka collected the pail, jug of water and bottle of herb from me, then give it to my brother while I walk back outside to knock on Fuyuko's door 'again'.
"Who's that?" She yelled with a bit of caution than poor constructed fright this time.
"It's me…Eiji…again" I couldn't help but muttered that last word silently.
She opened without much drama this time.
"Yes, do you need anything else?" She asked with the desire to help writing all over her fucking eyes.
'The nerve of this woman! How can one be so nice?' I seriously pondered.
"Thank you, Fuyuko-senpai… For the water… and the medicine" I said as humbly as I could, while bowing my head a bit (a very freaking tiny bit, because that's all the respect I can muster).
"No need, I'm always here if you need anything that's within my capability" she says smiling, as she leans on the side of her door entrance.
I have done what I was told to do, time to leave.
"…Also, because I said a hammer won't do anything, does it mean you should come out here bare-handed, without a fucking weapon" I just had to reproach her, leaving her in front of her door.
"I… I was sure it was you… I… I heard your voice" She tried to defend her silly action as I walked away.
"Right… and you confirmed it was me since you can see through wall or knew I was not force by some crack-heads to draw you out" I said mockingly, loud enough for her to hear.
"Well…" She sounded like she was trying to cook up something to say but couldn't.
Even her naïve-ass knew she had no way of defending herself.
"Right…" I uttered, opening our apartment door and stepped in.
I hurried to help my older brother and sister in any way I can to tend to our mom.
*Shitsubo
2 hours or so had passed before front door opened and a teenager in rumpled school uniform entered.
"Where have you been?" I asked from the corner where I sat, resting my back on the thin damp wall while looking straight at my right feet, instead at my other brother who just walked in.
"Oniisan… I…I just got caught up with something, that's all" He flustered a bit as he answered my question.
He was definitely shocked to hear me suddenly ask him a question as soon as he walked in, when I haven't home in days.
"Father and mom had a fight, again…not too long ago, luckily I arrived just in time before he started beating the living shit out of her… again" I said, still staring at my foot.
Then I continued "You should have been here with them when I am not around, you should be watching after 'em when I am away, not doing what the hell you were doing."
"Bro, I and some of my guys brought down a Tower drone. So, we were trying to sell it off" Genji (my brother) said with an earnest vibe; trying to defend himself but I just raise my voice after hearing what his excuse actually is.
"You did what?!…" I yelled with an intense degree of fright and anger.
This fucker is out there fucking with the Towers, when I'm out there dodging bullets for 'em.
If Enforcers comes knocking, it's me that's definitely getting dragged out of here and throw straight into jail before getting forced to fight in some fucking Gate against Aggressors for God knows how long– Everyone knows that's what happens to any Evolve arrested for any reason… any reason at all.
Just coughing the wrong way is enough reason for them to lock any Evolve from places like Sumiyoshi, yet this dumbass still went ahead to fuck with 'em.
'Before I get dragged out of here, I will make you wish you came to this world as a cripple because I will make you one now' I said internal as I stared at him, with my anger increasing by the second.
"Bro, it's fine… there was no…" He tried to calming me down as I stood up immediately and walked towards him, causing him to flinch and move back a bit.
The door of the other room slowly as I angrily walked up to Genji, I could guess who it is: my mom.
She had fallen asleep few minutes after I massag